Siegfried Reich

Researchers leave Austria

September 11th, 2006

This is one of the – very few – articles in Salzburg’s local newspaper, the “Salzburger Nachrichten“, on research:

• http://www.salzburg.com/sn/06/09/11/artikel/2385741.html and
• http://www.salzburg.com/sn/06/09/11/artikel/2385809.html

are about the fact, that many excellent researchers are leaving Austria (the number discussed is 400 per year).

The Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology tries to counteract with the brainpower initiative.

I personally believe that it is mainly a reason of perspective, why researchers turn away: funding – and even positions – are not secured in the long run. Even in highly competitive countries such as the US, there are tenure positions (which in Austria mainly exist for current staff at Universities, not so much the “new” people). The government’s objective of re-newing the University system has been disproportionate with respect to this issue.

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